Stabilized spring suspension means for railway cars



Jan. 19, 1960 R. c. WILLIAMS 2,921,540

STABILIZED SPRING SUSPENSION MEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed March 11, 19574 Sheets-Sheet 1 f1 g l 24 IO 32 23 27 r I 7 l r I I l L4 I 24a- 25:, ga6 X'Q 4-8 m 2| 4 26a. S

52 as 6 i {g 2! l l 55 54 "T /e g 12 39 ab .50 25m. 1 so \x\ INVENTOR.RAY C. WILUAMS Jan. 19, 1960 R. c. WILLIAMS 2,921,540

STABILIZED SPRING SUSPENSION MEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed March 11. 19574 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOk. RAY C. WILUAMS Jan. 19, 1960 R. c. WILLIAMSSTABILIZED SPRING SUSPENSION MEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed March 11, 19574 Sheets-Sheet 3 uvwszvron. RAY C. WILLIAMS Jan. 19, 1960 R. c. WILLIAMS2,921,540

STABILIZED SPRINI SUSPENSION MEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed March 11. 19574 Sheets-Sheet 4* United States Patent STABILIZED SPRING SUSPENSIONMEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS Ray C. Williams, Chicago, Ill., assignor toStandard Car {ruck Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New erseyApplication March 11, 1957, Serial No. 645,244

12 Claims. (Cl. 105-224) The improved stabilized spring suspension ofthe present invention has been designed for use primarily in connectionwith the running gear of relatively short railway cars of the four-wheelvariety. In this type of running gear each journaled portion of thewheel axle is supported for vertical movement in a separate frame unitsecured direct to the car body at opposite sides thereof. Each frameunit or pedestal seats on the top of a group of load supporting springspositioned above the axle journal.

While the invention is disclosed herein in connection with separatepedestal frame elements secured to the car body, it will be obvious, asthe disclosure progresses, that the frame elements at each side of a carmay be rigidly connected with each other by means other than the carbody and thereby provide a four-wheel truck suitable for use with longercars.

Heretofore, considerable difficulty has been experienced in providingrunning gear of the above type with suitable means for damping theundulations of the load springs and thereby avoid the build-up thereinof undulations of objectionable amplitudes. These difliculties have beendue primarily to the use of constructions which involve locating theload springs and their associated damping means a substantial distanceabove the axle journal and in failure to balance the application ofdamping force at opposite sides of the journal. As a consequence, theload springs and the stabilizing means of such prior structures have apronounced tendency to develop objectionable arcuate oscillations aboutthe journal as an axis and thereby fail to provide efiicient damping ofthe spring movements. Such oscillating of the parts also produceslocalized wear on the friction surfaces of the wedges.

The present invention overcomes the above noted limitations by theprovision of cooperating arrangements and constructions wherebyrelatively long load springs may be used and whereby friction means inthe form of Wedges may be so positioned that the horizontal forces orreaction of the friction wedges are substantially in line with thehorizontal center line of the pressure area of contact of the journalbearing and the element mounted thereon for supporting said springs andtheir associated stabilizing means.

According to the present invention, each side frame unit of the runninggear seats, as a pedestal, on the top of a group of load springspositioned above an axial journal, the said springs being supported on aso-called saddle which has bearing contact with the major portion of theupper half of a journal bearing, preferably, though not necessarily, aroller type bearing. The forward and aft portions of the saddle areformed with surfaces which slope in downwardly diverging directions atopposite sides of the axle journal with their extremities extending toregionsat or below the plane of the transverse horizontal axis of saidjournal. The friction wedges are supported on the sloping surfaces-ofsaid saddle in aposi- Patented Jan. 19, 1960 2 tion to bear frictionallyagainst opposing guide and friction faces of the truck pedestaL.

Each friction wedge member is formed with a curvilinear wedging surfacethereon which cooperates with the sloping surface on which it issupported. The said curvilinear surface has a straight co-linear contactwith the said sloping surface of the saddle member along a lineextending transversely of the wedge and intersecting the extendedvertical axis of a stabilizing spring positioned to exert pressure onthe wedge member, whereby the direction of force applied to each wedgemember is aligned with the axis of the stabilizing spring and therebyavoids development of eccentric or unbalanced forces on the wedge. Bysuch an arrangement, the friction wedges bear flat against opposedfriction faces on the pedestal and are at all times in stableequilibrium with respect to the journal saddle, whereby a moreconsistent damping action and longer wear life of the friction faceswill be attained. Furthermore, the line contact between the curvilinearfaces of the friction wedges and the cooperating wedging faces on thejournal saddle (see point 56 on Fig. 7) are so disposed, as previouslyindicated, that the horizontal forces or reaction of the friction wedgespass through the contact area between the journal bearing and the saddleat a location between the center of the journal and the top of thejournal bearing and thereby removes any tendency which these forceshave, in the absence of the above balanced arrangement, to exert forceson the saddle tending to oscillate it about the journal hearing.

A further improved feature of the present invention is the provision ofcooperating friction surfaces on each pedestal and on the associatedjournal saddle member, the arrangement being such as to embrace a widearea of contact both vertically and horizontally so as to provide, ineffect, a relatively long moment arm which serves as an anti-torquereaction member to resist oscillation of the journal saddle and thesprings and the stabilizing wedges supported thereon.

A further limitation that is attendant upon the use of present daypedestal type running gear arises from the necessity of permittinglateral motion of the journal boxes, journal bearing assemblies or otheranti-friction load spring supporting means associated with the journaled portions of the wheel axle whereby relative motion may takeplace between the axle and car body in order that the wheels will holdto the rails. The provision of sufficient tolerance between the pedestaland the journal saddle in which the axle is journaled to allow for acertain amount of relative lateral motion between the journal saddle andan associated pedestal, to accommodate limited lateral swaying of thecar body relative the axle journals and also permit limited lengthwiseoscillation of the axle, has a tendency to promote objectionableharmonics in these movements unless they are retarded.

The present invention overcomes this last noted limitation by theprovision of an effective damping means between the pedestal and loadspring support which is effective against vertical oscillations of thecar body and also lateral displacement in both directions and operatesat widely separated regions of the pedestal to assimilate the sidewisethrust thereof and reduce harmonic swaying of the car body to a minimum.

A still further feature of the present invention, in a stabilizingmechanism of the character set forth above, is to provide frictionplates on the inside surfaces of the pedestal and cooperating wear padson the journal saddle, the plates and pads being attached to therespective members with which they are associated.

Other advantages of the invention, not at this time enumerated, willbecome readily apparent as the following description ensues.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, apreferred embodiment of the invention has been shown.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal half-section view of the running gearof a railway car incorporating the lateral motion and stabilizinginstrumentalities of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a bumperconstruction employed in connection with the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. l; andFig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the curvature of a frictionsurface utilized in connection with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly Figs. 1 and 2 thereof:The improved running gear and spring suspension contemplates theprovision of four units 10 of identical construction for accommodatingfour wheels 11 and the journaled portions 12 of the wheel axles 13associated with said wheels. Inasmuch as the four units 10 are ofidentical construction, the present disclosure is confined to only onesuch unit 10, it being understood that the said units 10 are arranged inpairs at each side of a car and are secured thereto by suitable means.Each unit is composed of a plurality of elements which may be describedbriefly in the overall assembly as comprising a side frame 14, a saddlestructure 15 adapted to be supported on a bearing assembly 16 supportedon the axle journal 12 and having a sliding interlocked engagement withthe side frame 14. A pair of concentrically arranged load springs 17 and18 are interposed between the central portion of said saddle 15 and theside frame 14, whereby the load of the car is transmitted through theside frame 14, load springs 17, 18, and saddle 15 to the bearing 16 andthe axle journal 12. Preferably, the inner load spring 18 is shorterthan the outer spring 17, so that the inner spring 18 will function as aload supporting element only when the load is sufficient to compress theouter spring to the level of the upper end of the inner spring.

The general construction also includes a means designated as a whole bythe reference numeral 20 for stabilizing the undulations of the loadsprings 17, 18 and thereby prevent the build-up of oscillatory movementsof objectional amplitudes. It will be sufficient at this time toindicate that the stabilizing mechanism includes a pair of frictionwedges 21, 21 carried by the saddle member 15, the Wedges being pressedby stabilizing springs 22 into frictional engagement with portions ofthe frame 14 at opposite sides of the journal 12. The improvedconstructions of the Wedges 21, 21 and the manner in which theycooperate with other elements of the assembly as a Whole will be madeapparent by the detailed descriptions of the several elements of theassembled structure.

Pedestal structure Each side frame or pedestal unit 14 is a casting ofinverted U-form and includes an upper portion 23 and a pair of dependingguide columns 25, 26. The said upper portion 23 is of inverted channelform and is secured to the car body, for example a side sill 24 by meansof bolt and nut assemblies 24a. The depending guide columns 25, 26 areof channel construction, for the purpose of rigidity, and have opposedinner faces to which wear plates 25a, 26a are loosely applied, thelatter being held in place by parapet lugs 27 and wear plates 37 and 41and thereby avoid the development of latent stresses which arefrequently present in wear plates that are attached to the columns byconventional welds.

In order to further rigidify the guide columns 25, 26

and prevent spreading thereof their lower ends are connected together bymeans of a tie bar 28. The tie bar is secured to the said columns bymeans of bolts 29 and by upturned end portions 30 of the bar, the latterportions being hooked over the lower, ends of the columns. The upperportion of each pedestal includes depending cylindrical retaining lugs31 and 32, the frame of which holds the upper end of the stabilizingspring 22 in proper position and the latter serves as a retaining meansfor the load springs 17 and 18.

Journal saddle Referring now to the structure and functions of thejournal saddle 15: It is of geenral X-confi'guration, as viewed in sideelevation, including a semi-cylindrical central portion 33 which seatson the journal bearing assembly 16, a pair of upwardly and outwardlydiverging arms 34, 35 having wear pads 36, 37 engaging the wear plates25a, 26a on the guide columns 25, 26, downwardly diverging arms 38, 39having wear pads 40, 41 loosely supported by parapet lugs similar tolugs 48 and engaging said wear plates 25a, 26a, and lateral buffersdesignated generally by the reference numerals 42 and 43 (Figs. 1 and5); the said buffers functioning in combination with the saidstabilizing means 21 to damp lateral movements of the pedestal 10 andthe journal saddle 15 relative to each other.

The central portion 33 of the journal saddle 15 includes steppedretaining seats 44, 45 for the lower ends of the load springs 17, 18 andouter and inner reinforcing webs 46, 47 (Figs. 1 and S) which follow thecontour of the load spring 17 (as viewed in plan in Fig. 5) and mergeinto the arms 34, 35 to provide them with spaced apart side webs 34a,34b and 35a, 35b, respectively. These spaced apart side webs of the arms34, 35 permits the stabilizing springs 22, 22 to extend through the saidarms, as shown best in the cross sectioned portions of Figs. 1 and 5.The outer ends of the arms are formed with parapet lugs 48 for retainingthe wear pads 36, 37 in floating relation to said arms 34, 35.

The lower arms 38, 39 of the journal saddle are formed in their forwardand aft faces with pockets 49, 50 for receiving the friction wedges 21,21 for bearing frictionally against the wear plates 25a, 26a. Each wedgepocket includes a downwardly inclined bottom wall 51 on which theassociated friction wedge 21 is supported. The wedge member 21 isgenerally triangmlar in vertical cross-section as viewed in Fig. 1 andhas an outer friction face 52 for hearing against the adjacent wearplate 25a or 26a. The opposite side of the Wedge is provided with awedge face 53 which is of curvilinear contour for the bottom of thewedge to substantially the top thereof. The top wall 54 of the wedge isformed with a raised circular boss 55 in alignment with the boss 31formed on the pedestal top wall 23 and the two bosses serve to centerthereon the stabilizer spring 22, the latter being of considerablylighter gauge than the load springs 17 and 18.

Stabilizing devices of the general character described thus far whereinwedge-shaped friction shoes are arranged in such operative relationshipto a car pedestal, or more commonly to a car bolster, that when thebolster moves downwardly under the influence of a load against theaction of the load-supporting springs, the shoes are pressed intotightened frictional engagement with suitable surfaces on the truckframe to dampen the succeeding upward surge of the bolster, are known inthe art. According to the present invention, however, the character ofthe saddle member, particularly the slope of the friction surfacesthereon, as well as the specific curvilinear contour of the wedge faceof the wedge members 21 alford improved operating characteristics andreliability of operation, all in a manner that will now be set forth indetail.

As shown in Fig. 1, and more particularly in the exlggerateddiagrammatic illustration of Fig. 7, the curvilineal wedge face of eachwedge member 21 is formed with arcuate side surface regions A, A, eachof which has a relatively long radius of curvature. The two surfaces A,A merge with a medial arcuate surface B having a shorter radius ofcurvature, thus providing a crown portion which engages the inclinedsurface 5 1 of the sadle along a horizontal line of contact 56 which islocated on the vertical longitudinal axis XX of the stabilizer spring22.

The slope angle of the inclined bottom of each wedge receiving pocket49, 50 is such that the horizontal vectorial components of force appliedto the saddle member as a whole by the adjacent friction wedge member 21are well below the top or zenith of said journal bearing. This slopeangle of the bottom surfaces of the wedge pockets may be varied indifferent installations to accommodate differing stabilizer springpressures, car body weights and contemplated loads, and coeflicients offriction between the various surfaces which have mutual rubbing contact.

Since the cylindrical crown portion B in the medial regions of the wedgesurface 53 (see Fig. 5) makes a line contact with the inclined bottom 51of the pocket, phenomena which ordinarily would cause angular turningmovement of the wedge in the pocket has no such effect on the wedge andthe latter is allowed only the desired vertical component of motion.Additionally, the crown portion tends to concentrate the developedfrictional forces in a limited medial region so that the wedge offersmore resistance to displacement in either direction when exerting itsintended stabilizing effect. Since the line of contact 56 between thesurfaces 53 and 51 lies on the vertical axis XX coinciding with thelongitudinal axis of the stabilizer spring 22, eccentric forces on thewedge are eliminated and a more consistent damping action and longerwear life of the friction surfaces will be attained.

Referring now to the portions 42, 43: the journal saddle which functionsas bufiers to damp and finally 'to limit lateral movements of thepedestal and the journal saddle relative to each other. The said buffersinclude a series of four wings 42a, 42b and 43a, 43b which are offsetoutwardly from opposite sides of the journal saddle 15 (see Figs. l, 5and 6) and overlap the outer and inner side faces, respectively, of theguide columns 25, 26. On the inner face of each of the offset wings isarranged a resilient bumper construction comprising a plate 57 welded toits associated wing portion of the journal saddle, a bumper element 58is secured to the plate 57 by an intervening resilient element 59, forexample a block of rubber. The rubber block 59 is bonded or otherwisesecured to both elements 57, 58 so. that the latter can move toward andaway from the former. The opposite ends of said bumper plate are turnedlaterally to overlap and slidably embrace laterally turned end portions61, 62 of the plate 57. These ends are formed with return bends 63, 64which serve as stops for limiting the compression of the rubber block.

The bumper plates 58 are normally spaced outwardly a selected distancefrom the side faces of the guide columns 25, 26. This spacedrelationship is normally 4 inch at each side of the guide column,thereby permitting relative lateral movement of the guide columns 25, 26and the journal saddle 15 for the maximum distance of V2 inch, whichmovement is restrained only by the frictioned pressure of the wedgesagainst the wear plates a, 26a. At the extremity of such lateralmovement one or the other of the bumper plates 58 engage an adjacentside face of a guide column of the pedestal. There is capacity for afurther lateral movement of approximately A inch, but this movement isresisted by the conjoint action of the friction wedges 21 and thecompression of the resilient block. It will be also noted that thesecombined forces serve to damp any vertical movements of the pedestalguide columns 25, 26 relative to the journal saddle 15 which may occurduring the contact of the bumper plate 58 with a guide column.

Insofar as the stabilizing action of the various stabilizer springs 22and friction wedges 21 is concerned, downward movement of the pedestals10, which are attached directly to the car body, will place the loadspring groups 17, 18 under compression in the normal manner while thestabilizer springs 21 will be placed under increased compression toforce the pairs of wedge members 21 downwardly in their respectivepockets 49, 50 and into tighter wedging relation with respect to thevertical wear plates 25a, 26a and the inclined wedging surfaces 51 onthe saddle members 15. By their frictional engagement against wearplates 25a, 26a and reacting against inclined surfaces 51, the wedgemembers exert a damping action on the downward movement of the pedestal,the action being more effective by virtue of the existence of thecylindrical crown portion B and the curved side surfaces A, A, since thelatter provide more clearance for wear and adjustments of the wedgesrelative to the saddle. The broad vertical spread of the upper and lowerwear pads carried at the ends of the arms of the saddle 15 whenconsidered collectively restrains the saddle casting from tilting aboutthe axis of the wheel axle so that objectionable oscillations of avibratory nature are broken up. The wide horizontal spread of the saidwear pads restrain the saddle members against twisting movements so thatthe saddle will have no tendency to leave its seat on the journalbearing assembly 16. Also the flat line bearing 56 of the wedges againstthe inclined surfaces 5-1 in the wedge pockets prevents twistingmovements of the wedges about a vertical axis. Alignment of the crownportions 56 with the longitudinal vertical axes XX of the stabilizingsprings 22 eliminates the application of eccentric forces on the wedgesand the pressure applied on the various rubbing wear surfaces will beevenly distributed and result in a smooth efiicient damping action withlonger life of the friction parts, all in a manner that has been madeclear during the description of the stabilizing mechanism.

I claim:

1. In a stabilized spring suspension for a railway car pedestal typetruck, a pedestal structure having a top portion and spaced apart guidecolumns depending therefrom provided with opposed friction faces, anaxle journal and bearing therefor positioned between said guide columns,a saddle element mounted on said journal bearing and having portionsslidably engaging said guide columns to maintain the axle journalcentered between said columns, a load supporting spring seated on saidjournal bearing saddle and engaging the pedestal to resiliently supportthe latter for movement relative to said saddle, and friction means fordamping the movements of said pedestal relative tosaid saddle comprisingspring pressed wedge elements positioned for slidable wedging engagementbetween said saddle and said opposed friction faces of said guidemembers; the said saddle being formed with a central area for contactingand partially embracing said journal bearing and said wedges being sopositioned that their center line of horizontal thrust passes throughthe axle journal.

2. The combination structure as defined in claim 1 characterized in thatthe journal bearing saddle slidably engages the opposed friction facesof said guide columns at locations above and below the transverse centerof the axle journal and further characterized in that said frictionWedges engage the opposed friction faces of the guide coiurnns atlocations intermediate the surfaces of the saddle having said slidingengagement with said opposed friction faces of the guide columns.

3. A combination structure as defined in claim 2 characterized in thatthe forward and aft portions of said journal bearing saddle are providedwith pockets for receiving said friction wedges, the said pockets beingformed with inclined bottom walls for wedging engagement with adjacentfaces of said friction wedges.

4. The combination structure defined in claim 3 characterized in thateach friction wedge has a flat face for frictional engagement with anadjacent guide column, and an inclined face on its opposite sideprovided with a crowned portion engaging the said inclined bottom wallof its associated pocket and presenting to said inclined bottom wall aline contact transversely of the wedge to prevent turning of the wedgeabout a vertical axis.

5. In a stabilized spring suspension for a railway car pedestal typetruck, a pedestal structure having a top portion and spaced apart guidecolumns depending therefrom provided with opposed friction faces, anaxle journal and bearing therefor positioned between said guide columns,a journal bearing saddle mounted on said hearing and having portionsslidably engaging said guide columns to maintain the axle journalcentered between said columns, a load spring group seated on said saddleand engaging the pedestal to resiliently support the latter for movementrelative to said saddle, friction wedges positioned for wedgingengagement between the forward and aft portions of said saddle and theadjacent friction faces of said columns, spring means interposed betweenthe said wedges and the upper portion of said pedestal for effectingsaid wedging engagement of the wedges and for maintaining the wedges infrictional engagement with said columns, bumpers on the saddle andoverlying the inner and outer side faces of said guide columns forlimiting lateral movements of the pedestal and the saddle with respectto each other; the said bumpers being normally spaced from the sidefaces of said guide columns and are adapted to move into engagementtherewith during lateral movements of the pedestal relative to thesaddle and the friction wedges carried thereby, whereby the saidfriction wedges function by their frictional engagement with said guidecolumns to damp the said lateral movements.

6. The combination structure as defined in claim 5 characterized in thateach bumper comprises inner and outer steel plates having interposedtherebetween re silient means cooperating with said wedges to resist aportion of the lateral movements of the said columns relative to thesaddle.

7. The combination structure as defined in claim 6 characterized in thatthe said resilient means associated with each said bumper is anelastomeric pad bonded to opposed sides of said steel plates.

8. The combination structure as defined in claim 7 characterized by theprovision of a stop for limiting the compression of said elastomericpad.

9. In a stabilized spring suspension for a railway pedestal type truck,a pedestal structure having a top portion and spaced apart guide columnsdepending therefrom provided with opposed inner faces, wear platesloosely seating against said opposed faces, parapet retaining lugsformed on said guide columns and overlying the edges of said wearplates, an axle journal and a bearing therefor positioned between saidguide columns, a saddle element mounted on said bearing and havingportions slidably engaging said wear plates to maintain the latter intheir operative positions and also having inclined walls intermediatethe portions slidably engaging said wear plates, a load spring seated onsaid saddle and engaging the pedestal to resiliently support the latterfor vertical and lateral movements relative to said saddle, frictionwedges carried on the inclined walls of the saddle and having wedgingengagement between said inclined walls and the wear plates on saidcolumns, and spring means interposed between said wedges and the upperportion of said pedestal and cooperating with said inclined walls topress said wedges against said wear plates.

10. A combination structure as defined in claim 9 characterized in thatthe said saddle is provided with spaced apart portions located above andbelow the horizontal axis respectively of the journal bearing andprovided with wear pads, supported in floating relation to the saddleand slidably engaging said wear plates.

11. A combination structure as defined in claim 10 characterized in thatthe said wear pads are retained loosely in their operative position onthe saddle by means of parapet lugs formed on the saddle and engagingthe edges of the wear pads.

12. In a stabilized car truck comprising a frame member formed withspaced apart vertically extending guide columns and a guided membersupported between said columns in vertically sliding engagementtherewith and provided with foreward and aft pockets therein havinginclined wall portions, of means for damping the movements of said framemember and said guided member relative to each other comprising wedgespositioned in said pockets for frictional engagement with said-guidecolumns; each wedge member being formed with a cylindrically crownedface for wedging contact with the inclined wall portions of itsassociated pocket, and helical springs interposed between said wedgesand a portion of the frame to press the crowned faces of the wedges intowedging contact with the inclined walls of said pockets, each springbeing so positioned relative to its associated wedge that the extendedlongitudinal axis of the spring bisects the crown face of its associatedwedge at the point of its bearing against the inclined wall of thepocket containing such wedge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,327,151 Cottrell Aug. 17, 1943 2,355,450 Leese Aug. 8, 1944 2,497,460Leese Feb. 14, 1950

